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eBay Shopping Tips

ShopTopDeals.com partners with eBay to bring you the latest bargains at auction prices. When shopping on eBay, it's so easy to just search for a product and start bidding or just use the "Buy It Now" feature. However, if you're interested on getting the best price for the item you're shopping for, here's a few tips to help you out.

Product Research

One of the very best ways to make sure you get a good deal on eBay is to research before you place a bid or buy. eBay has a "Completed Listings" search tool where you can see actual selling prices for items similar to the one you're considering.

To do a "Completed Listings" search, just click on the Advanced Search link at the top of any eBay page. Then, enter words or phrases into the search box for the item you wish to research. For example, if you were looking for a specific photo printer you could enter "HP PhotoSmart Printer" as your search term. Then check the Completed Listings Only box and then click Search.

The search results show items that have ended in the past two weeks. Items that sold are indicated by prices in green while those that didn't sell are indicated by prices are in red.

If you sort the results by price you will see what similar items should cost you. You can also check to see if the item was new or used and you can get an idea of how much the item should cost to ship. If you are looking to buy a high-ticket item, another option you may want to consider is using eBay Marketplace Research. You'll learn average sold price, how many items are currently for sale and the current price range of those items.

Watch Lists

When you find an item that interests you, and there is plenty of time left on the auction listing, click on "Watch This Item" in the item description. This adds the item to your Watch list in your account's "My eBay" section. You can easily watch all the listings that interest you in one central location allowing you to keep track of prices and bidding progress.

Once that item is on your Watch List in My eBay, it makes it easy to find again when you are ready to bid or buy. You can also easily compare it to other similar items you've found.

Comparison Shopping

If you see multiple similar items in your search results and can't decide which item to bid on or buy you can use eBay's "Compare Items" feature to look at them side by side. You'll be able to compare a wide range of information about each item including:

To compare items, search or browse for items of interest and put those items into your "Watch List" in My eBay. Then go to My eBay and check the boxes of the items you wish to compare. Click "Compare" at the top or bottom of the list and you'll be able to view the items side by side.

One of the important differences to watch for when comparing listings is what payment options the seller offers. The fastest and safest way to pay for your eBay purchases is with PayPal, so look for sellers who accept PayPal.

Also, when comparing listings, always pay close attention to information about shipping. Does the seller offer the shipping method you prefer? Is insurance available? Are the shipping charges reasonable? These are all things to compare and consider before bidding or buying.

Bidding & Buying Strategies

Bidding and buying strategies can play a key role in how much you will pay for an item and how soon you'll get the item. The basic strategies for bidding and buying on eBay are:

Each of these strategies have various advantages and disadvantages you should consider before using any of them.

"Buy It Now" is the fastest way to get the item you want. All you do is click the "Buy It Now" button and the item is yours. You don't have to wait for the listing to end.

Typically, "Buy It Now" prices are higher than opening bid prices. However, there are no guarantees that if you wait and bid that the price won't end up higher than the original "Buy It Now" price. You could end up paying a higher price if you wait and bid vs using "Buy It Now", especially if competition for that item is high.

In auction-style listings, bidding early while setting a true maximum bid lets eBay's automatic bidding do the work for you. You can watch the item in My eBay and see if you are still winning. And if you lose the item, you know it was only because its price went past the limit you already set for yourself. You don't have to worry about remembering to bid later or bidding more than you intended to spend.

Another approach to auction-style listings is to watch the listing in My eBay while waiting until near the end to place a bid. eBay can alert you when items you are watching will be ending soon so you don't miss out on a last chance to bid.

But, when you wait until the last minute, it's easy to miss the end of a listing and be too late. It also means having to schedule your bidding around the time when the listing is scheduled to end. Still, there is no guarantee you won't be outbid by another late bidder. In fact, you could also be outbid by an early bidder who has entered a higher maximum bid than yours.

Having trouble winning items you're really interested in buying? Then, create a group of items you're interested in and set your maximum bids using the "Bid Assistant". Bid Assistant will bid on your behalf until you win one item from the group. You can access the Bid Assistant from your "Items I'm Watching" list in My eBay.

If you're looking for something brand new, consider eBay Express. At eBay Express, when you find what you're looking for, you can buy it immediately, with no need to bid, and speed through checkout with your online shopping cart - even if the items are from different sellers.

Conclusion

We hope this short eBay tutorial has helped give you some ideas on how to shop smarter, easier, and with more confidence so that you'll get the best deal for you and your budget.